Vancouver 3-1 Edmonton: 'Caps through to ACC final 5-1 on aggregate

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By Martin MacMahon

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May 10, 2012 2:04:00 AM

Vancouver advanced to the Canadian Championship final on Wednesday, defeating FC Edmonton 3-1 on the night, for a 5-1 aggregate win over two legs.

VANCOUVER – FC Edmonton made it tough, but a Sebastien Le Toux double pushed Vancouver through to the Canadian Championship final Wednesday night with a 3-1 victory on the night, and a 5-1 win on aggregate.

Yashir Pinto got things started with a headed effort 54 minutes in, putting Edmonton within one goal of bringing the tie level on aggregate. Le Toux stepped off the bench to make the difference, bagging goals in the 75th and 87th minutes, before Darren Mattocks added a stoppage time effort to put the cherry on top.

In the third minute, John Thorrington hit a low ball across goal, which Michael Nanchoff stubbed home, but the referee’s assistant raised his flag, signalling offside.

On 19 minutes, Edmonton had its first real attempt, as Michael Cox hammered a shot from the centre of the penalty area. Yashir Pinto set Cox up for the attempt with a pass from the left, and Jordan Harvey lunged to block the shot, but Brad Knighton was forced to parry the ball before gathering at the first attempt.

In the 27th minute, Matt Lam’s shot from outside the penalty box gave Knighton some trouble, but the ‘keeper managed to push the ball to the right of his goal before Greg Klazura knocked it to safety.

Six minutes later Michael Nanchoff was taken down outside the box by Fabien Vorbe, and the FC Edmonton defender earned himself a yellow card for his trouble.

Camilo stepped up to take the ensuing free kick, curling a right-footed effort just wide of the upper 90 to the relief of FCE's David Monsalve.

In the 42nd minute, Cox collided with Knighton, sliding into the goalkeeper. Knighton stayed down for an extended period but was eventually able to continue. Cox received a yellow card on the play.

In the 53rd minute, Pinto gave Edmonton belief, finding the back of the net with a clever run into the box, bundling home from an Antonio Rago delivery from the right to bring the score to 1-0.

On 69 minutes, Knighton was forced into an awkward clearance, as Jay DeMerit hit a weak pass back toward the ‘keeper, but

In the 75th minute, Le Toux equalized the score on the night, beating a stumbling Vorbe before firing a low shot to beat Monsalve.

The Frenchman followed that up with an 87th minute header, before Mattocks fired home a stoppage time insurance marker after some fancy footwork by Davide Chiumiento, who centred the ball for the Jamaican to have a dream comeback from burn injuries suffered in late March.

The ‘Caps now head to New England for an away game against the Revolution on Saturday, before facing Toronto FC on Wednesday in the first-leg of the Canadian Championship final.